


Bound and Quartered

by Khawapashi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Badass Rey, Eventual Happy Ending, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gray Jedi, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Mildly Dubious Consent, One Shot, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Redeemed Ben Solo, Smut, Tatooine, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 15:14:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14936732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khawapashi/pseuds/Khawapashi
Summary: It always seemed ridiculous, to Kylo, how ignorant soldiers and authorities thought they could restrain a Force-user with binders. Hux was beside himself with pride, preening about the Supreme Leader's new Dreadnaught, Leviathan, with his arrogant little smile as they watched Stormtroopers lead Rey into a specially-prepared cell. Bruises marked her face, her hair was a wild mess and her clothes were torn and scalded, but she walked like Leia Organa on the floor of the Senate.





	Bound and Quartered

**Author's Note:**

> Little one-off mini fic I've been working on for a while, finally got some time today to finish it and get it edited. Some explicit scenes, dubious consent, threats of rape. Everyone's an asshole except Rose and Maz Kanata. The Skywalker curse claims another hand.

It always seemed ridiculous, to Kylo, how ignorant soldiers and authorities thought they could restrain a Force-user with binders. Hux was beside himself with pride, preening about the Supreme Leader's new Dreadnaught, _Leviathan_ , with his arrogant little smile as they watched Stormtroopers lead Rey into a specially-prepared cell. Bruises marked her face, her hair was a wild mess and her clothes were torn and scalded, but she walked like Leia Organa on the floor of the Senate.

 She was still the most stunning creature Kylo Ren had ever laid eyes on, and he knew she had not been captured by force, regardless of Hux’s posturing. Like Luke Skywalker, she had allowed herself to be a distraction while her friends escaped. Futile as it was, he could admire her courage, walking again into the lion's den of her own free will. Perhaps she thought she could bargain with him. Perhaps she could, but he doubted she would ever rule at his side of her own free will, the way he wanted her to.

 “I trust you can manage without my input for a while, Commandant,” he said, turning from the window to walk towards the cell. Hux barely managed to hide his smirk. Actually, he didn't quite manage, and Ren’s eyes narrowed.

 “Going to let anyone else have a go when you're done with your little whore, Ren?”

Sighing almost regretfully, he reached out and sent the red-haired vermin flying across the room, then Force-seized his throat for good measure while he stormed over to loom above the man gaping and gasping on the ground.

“She is _mine!_ ” He spat. “No one else is to _touch_ her. Are we clear?”

He looked around, making sure the other personnel in the containment block understood. Fortunately for them, they all had a healthy respect for Kylo Ren’s anger and a desire to keep their lives. Finally, he looked down at Hux.

“Are we clear, Armitage?”

“Crystal,” the man choked out. “Supreme Leader.”

 “Good. Go back to your station.”

He let go and continued to the specialized cell, where a female officer was waiting, holding a clipboard and doing her best to look disinterested.

“Well?” He had to prompt before she began speaking.  

“The touchpad is programmed to your palmprint and retina scan only, sir. Of course, that means you will have to take in her meals and deliver the injections,” he nodded impatiently. "Other than some minor burns which we've applied bacta to and some bruising, she's in good health. We checked her blood and ran a scan for a birth control device as you requested."

"And?" He asked impatiently, ignoring the woman's obvious discomfort on the subject.

"She's clean and in good health. Any... activity should be well-tolerated within the... normal scope of such things. She does have an up-to-date contraceptive implant."

“Good. Do you have all the information you need to calculate the correct dosages?”

“Yes, sir, but I must remind you it's imperative she receive the same dose at the same time every day. Any disruption to the schedule could result in less-than-adequate sedation,” the blonde officer warned sternly. “If you're ready, I'll prepare the gas sedative.”

“Yes. Do it.”

He glanced around at the minimal staff. He had emptied all the other rooms on this level, and once the doctor and anesthetist had completed their work, they were to leave as well. He didn't want to take any chances, given how easily Rey had escaped on Starkiller.

“Vital signs show she's sedated, sir,” the doctor informed him. She handed him a vacuum-sealed predosed injector and a glass of water. “You're certain she'll drink the water?”

“She's from Jakku. She won't turn down water.”

 

Rey woke up cold. She had shaken free of the binders the moment they closed the door to the mostly-empty steel room, and sat down on the mattress, noting the pristine gray sheets. The only other thing in the room was a necessary unit behind a half-screen, which she noted just before she heard a soft hiss and lost consciousness.

The need for heat had woken her, but when she sat up, she still felt dizzy and almost as if she could go right back to sleep. Her eyes widened at the sight of Kylo Ren perched at the foot of her bed, although she shouldn't have been surprised to see him.

“Trying to recreate our first date?” She asked sarcastically. He smiled very faintly. “Was I drugged then? It didn't feel like it.”

“No. You're drugged because your powers in the Force have become stronger.” He was holding the binders she had cast aside in one hand. “I don't want to drug you. I don't want to hurt you. I want you by my side, Rey. Please. I think about you every day, even when the Force isn't bringing us together.”

She sighed, her eyes on the binders. “What will you do if I say no?”

“Don’t. Don’t push me away. I _need_ you-” He cut off as she looked away, her shoulders stiff.

“You don't have to bind me. I won't fight you,” she said quietly. 

“Look at me. Rey, please.” 

“No. I know what you want. I won't fight. But don't make me look at you,” she pleaded. 

When he didn't respond, she got up, slightly unsteady on her feet, and he reached out a hand to her lower back to hold her up. He watched as she unfastened her belt and let it fall to the floor, followed by her sleeveless tunic, leggings and boots. She reached up and pulled the remaining pins out of her hair, letting it fall past her shoulders. 

Standing in only her breast band and underwear, she turned to see his smoldering eyes taking her in, while she still stubbornly refused to look him in the eye. 

“Well? This is what you want, right? Don't lie to me, I can feel it over the bond.” 

Slowly, he set the binders down on the floor next to a metal cup of water, and stood. Even like this, he couldn't take his eyes off of her, but his need to touch her, to kiss her and put his mouth over her smooth skin was overpowering. He guided her back to sit on the edge of the bed, and her eyes followed his hands instead of his face. She licked her lips unconsciously, and he felt a brief flare of lust over the bond. From her. Kylo sucked in a breath through his teeth. 

“You _want_ me? Like this?” He studied her face as she carefully stared at the wall, but he could see her breathing was shallow in her chest. 

“Don’t you know that? I can feel you," her voice trembled slightly, the only outward sign of her fear. 

"Rey," he said in a soft voice, reaching out to brush her hair back from her face. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to the purple pattern of a bruise on thr side of her head. Her eyes strayed to him briefly before she forced herself to look away, but it was enough for him to see the heat rising behind them.

“I do now,” he murmured softly, tenderly. "But you're scared, too."

She shook her head. "I’m not afraid of  _you_. I’m... nervous?" She hazarded another quick glance up at him. "I don’t have a lot of experience with... this sort of thing."

"You've been my guest before." She smiled faintly, and he felt another brush of heat from her over the bond. 

"You were less accommodating last time, as I recall."

"Oh?"

"I believe I was restrained. By a creature in a mask," this time when she stole a glance up he was waiting and he caught her chin to keep her from immediately turning away. She smiled shyly, and he could see her pupils were wide and her eyes dark. "Now I can see your face. And I’m not restrained. So..." She shrugged. "You want to seduce me to your side? Now's your chance." 

In a matter of seconds, he had unfasted his belt and shrugged out of his padded overtunic. He knelt to unlace his boots, and once he had them off, he crawled forward on his knees, pushing her legs apart. Roughly, he yanked down her gray undershorts, though she obligingly lifted her hips to assist him, and then he pressed his mouth greedily over her mound of short dark curls.

Rey gasped in shock, leaning back on her arms as he delved deeper with his tongue, and he allowed himself a smirk. The evidence of her desire was unmistakable, even if he thought she was capable of lying through the bond, there was no fabricating the slickness between her thighs. 

“You're very wet for someone who can barely look at me,” he breathed against her.

She gave a sort of surprised whimper and tried to sit up, but he held her back with one large hand on her flat stomach. With the other, he traced the edge of her opening, before sliding a long finger into her tight warmth. She moaned, canting her hips to give him better access, dropping one hand down to rest over his on her abdomen.

“Kylo… I've never…” She took a deep breath that caught in a sudden sob. 

He spared a glance up along her body, but her eyes were closed. He watched her expression, her slight frown as he fit a second finger inside of her, smoothing out as her body accepted the intrusion. He could feel her soft walls clenching and fluttering around him, and put more effort into what he was doing with his tongue, holding her apart with his other hand to suck at the hardened nub rising from her folds.

“Oh, fuck!”  

He could feel the climax building over the bond, and he curled his fingers and rubbed against the patch of rougher flesh he could feel deep inside. She moaned beautifully, eyes closed as she came undone and her body convulsed around his fingers. He lapped away the new moisture as it came, waiting for her panting to slow and her muscles to finish pulsing.

When Rey opened her eyes and looked down, he folded his arms over her upper thighs and watched her. She blushed, all the way down her neck and across her collar, making the smattering of freckles on her skin stand out. But she met his gaze this time, she owed him that much at least.

“You're looking at me now,” he said softly, smiling. “Are you really a virgin, Rey? I only ask-”

“None of your business,” she cut him off.

He fought to keep his anger in check, to make himself accept that she was right, she had no obligation to detail her sexual history to someone who was already taking advantage of her. And he was, he was honest with himself about that, too.

“I only ask,” he tried again, more softly, directing his gaze to her perfect, toned stomach, “because I don’t want to _hurt_ you, and if you’ve really never had sex before-”

“I’m not.” She swallowed around some upwelling of emotion and he forgot and turned his head to catch her eyes. She didn’t look away. “Poe… I tried… It doesn’t matter. But he didn’t… do that. I don’t know. We were both very drunk.”

That was far more than he’d expected her to share, and he felt he owed her something in return, some honest connection so she would know he didn’t just want her here so he could claim her body.

“I wanted to,” he said softly. “I want you to… want this. I won’t force you. If you want me to leave, I will.”

“No. Don’t go,” she caught his eye again, peering out from under her lashes shyly, before wrenching her gaze away from him.

His lips were still bright with her moisture, and before she could think about it and lose her nerve, she surged forward, taking his face in her hands, and kissed him. With a startled grunt, he kissed her back, plunging his tongue into her mouth as far as he could, his hands sliding into her hair to grip the back of her head and hold her there. She trapped him inside her mouth and sucked on his tongue, and when he retracted it, she followed to taste the inside of his and take his bottom lip between her teeth.

He drew away, finally, kissing down the line of her jaw, tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue. Ren stood, and Rey scrambled back onto the bed, watching as he removed the rest of his clothes. He climbed on top of her and peeled away her last remaining scrap of fabric, the wrap binding her breasts. When they were freed he took them in his hands and kneaded them until she moaned and shifted beneath him, spreading her legs around him. His cock rested against her, the head pressed between them, holding him just at the apex between her folds, and she lifted her hips to grind against him, panting. 

“Rey,” he said her name, trying to catch her attention. She shook her head, looking everywhere but at his face. 

“No.” She pressed her forehead into his shoulder, her palms flat against his lower back. “Why do you always have to push for more? I’m giving you this.” 

“Because I love you. I want all of you. I want you in my bed, with me.” He begged. Ren knew she wouldn't give in this soon, but he couldn't keep from trying. “Not down here in a prison cell.” 

“Well, too bad. I’m not going to join you. Your officers would never accept me, even if I said yes,” she pointed out. She gestured to the ugly purple and black bruise over her right eye. “General Hux kicked me after I already surrendered.”

 “He’s living on borrowed time already,” Kylo sneered. “But consider it shortened.” 

“You’re going to kill the Commandant of your army? Why?” 

“Because he _kicked_ you,” he snarled. He paused, letting his anger fade as her presence soothed him. “And because he’s a spineless imbecile who is already planning a coup.”

“But mostly because I told you he kicked me,” she was smiling, very slightly, and he pressed his lips to the bruise on her forehead again. 

“Yes,” he admitted. He didn't want to push her further, but somewhere it hurt to have made his feelings clear and her not respond. Still, she didn't straight out deny it, either, and he really didn't want to force her to lie to him with a direct question. 

Rey made a soft sound, wiggling against him insistently, and when he looked down to try and kiss her lips, she turned her head, offering him her neck. He growled, sinking his teeth into her flesh until she hissed and groaned, her hands seizing his hair in a tight grip. He licked the mark apologetically, moving down to close his mouth around her nipple. He sucked greedily at the tight little nub, rubbing the other between his fingers while Rey closed her eyes and arched into him. 

“He also said he’d rape me, whenever you're done,” she told him plainly. “I almost hope he tries. It’ll be easier on you if I’m the one to kill him.”

He stopped to look at her, catching her cheek when she tried to turn away with an irritable grunt, but she just closed her eyes. 

“No, Rey, look at me. This is important,” he begged. He knew Hux was certain to try, if only because he'd take any excuse to undermine Kylo Ren in any way possible. Finally, when he had her eyes, he continued. “They - we're drugging you. To keep you from using the Force. It's in the water. No one is supposed to come in here, it's locked behind my palm and retina scan, but Hux will probably try.”

“Am I supposed to be grateful, that you're telling me this?” She snapped. “Why even bother?” 

“Because I need you to escape. I need you to live. And I don't care if you beat Armitage Hux to death with nothing but your water cup, or strangle him with a pillowcase.” Her eyes widened at that, and he smiled grimly. “Options. I’m making sure you have options. Don’t drink all the water. Pour it out down the toilet.”

“You need me to escape…” She whispered. Suddenly her hands slid down to his hips and she closed her eyes, rubbing against him and surging up to kiss his shoulder, following the line of her scar with her tongue. “Make love to me. Please.”

“Look at me,” he demanded. She shook her head and he sighed heavily, leaning down to kiss her again, thoroughly. “Then turn over.”

She blushed again, that lovely pink hue that spread out over her face and upper chest, but she did. With gentle hands, he arranged her body with her shoulders down and her round bottom exposed. She trembled and moaned when she felt his hands exploring her, holding her apart so the cold air touched her most intimate flesh.

“It's alright, I’m not going to hurt you,” he soothed.

“It's too cold in here,” she complained.

“Shh, I'll warm you up.”

He smiled to himself as he pressed his tongue inside of her, thrusting as far as it would go. Rey whimpered and moaned in response, and he could taste the growing moisture inside of her. He took his mouth away and replaced it with his fingers, three this time, pushing and stretching her until they rested easily inside of her, and she shifted, bowing her back further to rock her firm rear into his hand. He pumped his fingers in and out, listening to her sweet noises sending heat pulsing into his cock. 

“Force, Kylo. Just fuck me already,” she whined.

He moved his other hand to tease and pinch her nipple, kissing down the line of her vertebrae, his fingers thrust fast and hard inside of her, focusing pressure on that one spot.

“Come for me one more time and I will,” he promised.

She moaned at his words, her body relaxing even further around his rapidly-moving fingers. He moved his hand from her nipple to dip in the slickness at her entrance and rub it into her sensitive flesh above, firm and fast until she finally gave the most beautiful cry of pleasure and her body quivered and pulsed and slowly grew boneless.

Before she completely recovered, while she was still relaxed and floating in bliss, he lined up his cock at her entrance and eased inside, pushing until the whole head penetrated her, then withdrawing and doing it again. Rey panted and groaned, her thighs twitching uncontrollably. She buried her face in the pillow and dug her strong hands into the sheets, only half-hiding her truly wild, uninhibited moans of pure delight.

“Good Gods!" She twisted her head around, trying to get a better view of him. "How much more of you is there?”

“Just enough, sweetheart. Just enough,” his last word ended on a grunt as he filled her completely, feeling the base of her pelvis pressed against his. “Rey… Gods you feel…”

“I know,” she whimpered. “I know. It feels complete. Enough.”

He had no words to add, except things he knew she didn't want to hear, so he just started a steady pace, one hand on her back holding her down while the other braced against her hip. Fuck, he didn't want to hurt her, but it felt so incredible, to finally have her, to be inside of her, joined together where they belonged.

“I need to move, Rey, and I don’t know if I can control myself. Please tell me if I’m hurting you,” he whispered. She nodded into the pillow, panting heavily over her response.

“It's okay. You can hurt me, I… I don’t mind. I like it. I never… imagined this would be gentle.” She moaned as he thrust faster, and cried out in response to his deep-throated groan. “Yes, _yes!_ ”

“Tell me you like this,” he demanded. “Tell me you want me.”

“I do want you. I want you so badly, Ben, I… I've thought about this… exactly this. You fucking me like you fight, wild and…” she gasped for breath, whimpering beneath the assault of his cock slamming into her, hitting all the right right places so perfectly. She was going to come again if he kept this up, she could feel it building and she had to make sure he knew. “Don't stop, please dont stop. I… Maker, you feel so good…”

“You thought about me? About me fucking you?”

“Yes! Haven't you?” She closed her eyes as he groaned, straining desperately to keep up his brutal pace, pressing her into the mattress while his long fingers dug into her hip.

“Every day, Rey. Every. Single. Day.” He punctuated his words with his thrusts, and somehow that was all it took, she tumbled over the edge again screaming his name and sobbing as she tried to get enough air into her spasming body.

Kylo came quickly after with a few more violent thrusts, pulling out after he was spent to lie beside her in the small bed. She shivered slightly beside him, so he dragged her on top of his chest and covered her naked body with the blanket. For a while they just lie together, waiting for their breath to even out and their bodies to stop quaking. He stroked her hair absently and she basked in the warmth of his touch.

Eventually, he had to leave, he couldn't sleep there in the cell with the First Order’s most notorious prisoner. He shifted out from under her, retrieving the water cup and holding it out to her.

“Remember what I said. Leave a little in the bottom and throw it out. They're monitoring your vitals, so it has to be subtle.” He stroked her cheek and leaned down to kiss her sweaty forehead. “I'll be back in the morning, unless you're hungry now?”

Rey thought about it, never one to turn down food, but she had been awake for the past twenty-four hours, and part of that had been fighting and running and being captured, before the incredible sex with her worst enemy that she definitely should not have enjoyed so much.

“I'm exhausted. I just want to sleep, I think.”

She drank the water while he watched, leaving a trace amount in the bottom that she unceremoniously tossed over the side of the bed before handing it back to him. He smiled, collected the binders and the vacuum-sealed injector that he hadn't needed, and went to leave.

“Wait, Kylo,” she called just as he was opening the door. He turned and she accidentally met his gaze, looking embarrassed. “I need to bathe. At least clean up enough for… For you.”

“I'll bring soap and water and a towel with your breakfast,” he promised, pleased that she was thinking about it. As if there was going to be another opportunity to consummate their complicated relationship. “It will take me some time to orchestrate an escape. But, believe me, Rey. If you won't rule beside me, I don’t want you to stay here. I am your ally in this, I promise.”

She nodded, and he could see her eyelids drooping as she struggled to settle into the bed. He thought of something as he was leaving the detention block, and when he came back, she was already asleep. He drew the extra blanket over her and kissed her temple, tenderly, and she gave a contented sigh completely at odds with her surroundings, murmuring nonsense sleep words.

“...Ben…”

He couldn't help but notice her smile.

 

She was his prisoner for a week before she made her first escape attempt. He had brought the knife in days ago, purposely leaving it behind, and he had wondered when she would decide to use it. Rey was very good with electronics, and she got into the wiring board beside the door, using the knife to unscrew each tiny bolt by hand.

Unfortunately, the cell was set to divert power if any of its programming malfunctioned, and the silent alarm woke him in the early hours of the morning. For some fucking reason, Hux was in the hall, too, although he had specifically given orders that any issues regarding the prisoner be brought to him, and him alone. He had to throw the man bodily down the hall with the Force to keep him from worming his slimy way into the special detainment block. He checked to be sure all the video surveillance was clear and her Force-signature was still bright as day inside the cell. He had not installed cameras inside, for the very reasons his officers and Hux whispered about, though they had no idea Rey was a willing participant.

Then he found a serving droid and asked it to bring up the usual breakfast tray, sitting inside with her while his technicians worked to restore power and repair the damage. They couldn't speak freely in front of the crew, but most of what they said was within the range of acceptable. Kylo Ren had made no secret of his continuing attempts to sway her to the “dark side,” as the masses understood it.

He had brought the little pink fruit cakes she liked, and porridge with real cream and berries, and black caf, although he preferred his with a few spoons of sugar. Rey had noticed that he paid attention to what she liked, bringing more of it the next day, and he seemed to enjoy plying her with a variety of different treats. Today he had brought little strips of crisp, fried meat. Rey could count the number of times she'd eaten meat on one hand, and she devoured all four pieces.

“What was that?” He regarded her question with a somewhat bewildered expression, and Rey frowned, thinking it was probably some absurdly simple kind of food and she looked like an uncultured idiot. But it was the behavior, not the food that confused him.

“You ate it without knowing what it was?” He plucked one of the bright pink cakes from her tray, noticing how her eyes lingered on his mouth when he sucked the juice from his gloved thumb. 

“It smelled good and if you wanted to poison me, you could have done it a long time ago.” She shrugged. “Where I come from, meat is so scarce it's mostly a fantasy, unless you count lizards and spiders.” 

He blanched at that and she laughed, pouring sugar and cream into her porridge. Kylo tried to steal another fruit pastry, and she slapped his hand. “If you wanted some, you should have brought more.” 

Unperturbed, although he noticed one of the technicians giving Rey a wide-eyed stare, he held the cake up to her lips. She hesitated briefly, making it seem like she was struggling inwardly with his strangely courteous behavior, but she leaned forward and let him feed her. He held his gloved thumb and forefinger to her mouth, and she eagerly sucked and licked the crumbs away while he watched avidly. 

“Ahh, you shouldn't be allowed to eat such sweet things with that filthy mouth of yours,” he teased. Rey’s shoulders shook in a silent laugh as the nosey technician hurriedly fixated back on his job. “I'll be back early tonight.”

“Oh, whyever for? Do you think I’m going to suck everything you put in front of my mouth?” She glanced at the workers, then caught his eye. “You can try all you like, just because I’m done wasting my energy fighting you doesn't mean I’m going to change my mind about joining you, or turning to the dark side.” 

“We’ll see. Maybe if you're good I'll bring you better things to eat,” he suggested. Rey shrugged, laying down her spoon.

“Honestly, I’m just bored. I’d rather have a book or be allowed to take a walk,” she sighed, leaning back against the wall behind her small bed. 

“I think I can manage a book,” he promised. “If you behave yourself tonight. I can't babysit you every day. If you pull something like this again, I'll be forced to keep you cuffed and sedated anytime I’m not here.” 

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’m not stupid. Don’t worry, I won't make the same mistake again,” she said in a defeated voice. “Why don’t you just execute me? Wouldn't that be easier on all of us?” 

“Unlike you, I haven't completely given up yet. As long as you behave yourself.” He turned as the workers signalled to him that they were finished. He carefully piled everything onto the tray, making her open her mouth and undress partially so he could be sure she wasn't hiding anything anywhere. “Now, be a good girl, Rey. I really don’t want to have to order your execution, but I have the paperwork on my desk in case it becomes necessary. Hux has already scouted for worlds. It'll be a grand production, for all your Resistance friends to see.”

She shuddered, the message in his words clear. _Hux is already planning an execution. Don’t give him anymore reasons to press for it._

 

She was more careful the next time, waiting until the middle of the day after watching and listening to the staff carefully, picking a time when the Supreme Leader was busy with meetings and General Hux was gone on a mission to another system. She took the book with the clearance codes scribbled in the back with her, and found the TIE in the repair bay that called out to her when she searched for her lightstaff. She retrieved it from the floorboards, and swiftly wiped all tracking components from under the pilot's console.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Months later, Rey was called away from a private mission searching for the hidden planets of the Whills to an old Imperial bunker on Endor’s moon. She was annoyed to find Poe and Finn mobbing her the second she climbed out of her borrowed X-Wing on the hastily-cleared landing pad. A single, heavily-modified TIE Silencer perched in a corner, ignored by the Resistance crew, told her why she’d been pulled away from the other side of the galaxy, if the presence in her mind hadn’t already made it obvious.

She rolled her eyes as Finn told her to be careful, and Poe ordered his men to be ready with blasters to cover her. Rey knew she wouldn’t need it, but she drew her lightweapon from its place on her belt and ignited the twin magenta blades, if only to shut them up. 

“He’s alone,” she informed them. As if he could have brought a battalion with him in a single TIE. Behind her, Resistance soldiers shouldered their rifles, and she shot Poe a scathing glance. “He helped me escape _twice_. He’s not going to kill me now.”

“Maybe he was tricking you,” Finn insisted. “Giving you a false sense of security.” 

“Security? I was a _prisoner_ of the First Order! They had me drugged! How much more secure could he get?” She rolled her eyes, glaring at them all. “I’m not going in there until you tell your men to lower their rifles.” 

“Rey…” Poe’s voice was too intimate, and it irritated her. She should never have let him take her on that date to Bespin. They hadn’t ended up sleeping together again, thankfully, but he had assumed too much since.

“Knock it off, _General Dameron_. I’m not luring him out so you can blast him full of holes. He’s already injured and starving.” Across the open space, she felt movement, and noted several of the Resistance officers had lowered their weapons. Rey saw Commander Connix nod at her over Poe’s shoulder and she acknowledged it with a tip of her staff. “Just get a cell, ready. Unless the Resistance is in the habit of executing people without a trial? What would Leia do?” 

Poe winced, and even Finn backed away. 

“If he makes one wrong move-” Finn threatened, his grip on his rifle firm. Rey rolled her eyes again, but it was Rose who answered, shouting at him from behind the line of soldiers.

“You’re not seriously going to shoot an injured, unarmed man? Finn! What is wrong with you?” She was short, but her stance and gaze were unflinching. “Saving the ones we love? Not killing what we hate? Remember?” 

“Rose, he’s dangerous,” Dameron insisted. “And you can’t disarm a Jedi-” 

“Actually, you can,” Rey said, slipping a small vacuum-pressured injector from her pocket. She had acquired it months ago, right after she escaped from the _Leviathan_. Now she held it up so they could see. “Synthesized yarosz crystals, powdered and liquefied.” 

 _That_ got the result she wanted. Blasters were put away, except Finn’s, and they let her lead the way as she cut a hole through the bunker door with the blade of her weapon. He was sitting in the far corner, and she could feel his relief when he realized who was breaking into his self-created prison. As soon as she made a big enough hole for her to crawl through, she kicked in the metal, holding her hand out to stall Finn directly behind her. 

“Wait here.” 

“You came,” Kylo croaked. 

His voice was low and raw, and it hurt her to see him like this. She had known he was injured, and sick, but it was a testament to the strength of his will and his body that he was even conscious. Dark blood covered his hand from above the wrist, where he had cauterized a deep wound with his own lightsaber. The whites of his eyes were yellowed with jaundice, and his cheeks were hollow. He looked like an overworked riding beast, pale skin stretched over his gangly frame. 

“You look like shit, Kylo. What the hell happened?”

“You were right about Hux. I should have killed him sooner.” His lips cracked in a fraction of a smile. “This was the only place I could think of to hide out. Didn’t expect your Resistance friends to be scouting for a new base.” 

She knelt beside him, taking in his blaster-destroyed wrist, ruined clothes and the overpowering smell of old blood and infection, grimacing. His eyes searched out hers, and this time she let him look at her. 

“I must be at death’s door if you can bear to look at me like this.” 

“Don’t joke.” She worked quickly making a sling out of her arm wraps and searching around for something to use as a crutch. “Can you walk?” 

“I don’t think so.” 

He coughed, and Rey did not like the way it lingered and rattled in his chest. She sighed, placing her hand on his forehead and finding it hot and sticky with sweat and dirt. 

“Alright, you kriffing imbecile,” she grumbled, taking his good arm over her shoulders. “I’m going to lift you with the Force. Pray those other imbeciles outside don’t shoot you.” 

“Let them, it’ll be faster.” 

“Like hell I will.” 

She groaned as it took all of her physical strength and Force concentration to get him to his feet and keep him there. 

“Rose!” She shouted through the exit she’d carved out, shoving Finn back. “I need a medic!” 

Once she heaved him all the way onto the floating mobile gurney (with absolutely _no_ help from Finn or Poe) she leaned over and cleaned a small area of his shoulder with a clean alcohol wipe from the med kit. 

“What’s that? Rey?” There was a strange, wild look in his eyes, startlingly vulnerable stuck to her like she was his salvation. Because she was, she realized. That’s what he thought of her as, anyway. 

“I’m really sorry, but they need to treat you, and I can’t be there every second,” she whispered softly. “Yarosz crystals.” 

“I know,” he whispered back. “Will you come see me?”

“Of course I will.” 

Without thinking of who was watching, she smoothed long strands of hair and patches of dirt and sweat from his forehead and leaned down to place a soft kiss there, distracting him from the injection she pressed into his shoulder. She stood back to see the medic and attendants giving her a strange look. Someone passed her a pair of binders and she sighed. Kylo smirked as she held them up, and they shared a private thought through the bond. She locked his undamaged wrist to the rail anyway, then stepped away and nodded for them to take him. 

Someone coughed behind her, and she felt a flush creep over her face as she realized that Poe, Finn and half a dozen Resistance soldiers had just watched her whispering fondly and kissing Kylo Ren on the forehead. She turned, knowing her face was bright red, and met the shocked stare of her best friend and the unexpected, half-crazy laughter of Poe Dameron. 

Rose, thankfully, came to her defence, taking her arm and guiding her along to the shuttle to take them back to the Resistance’s cruiser. 

“Wait, no,” Poe called at behind them. “No, no, no. I need answers, lady.” 

“Yeah, me too,” Finn insisted.

Rey physically wilted. She had been awake for over twenty-four hours, flying back from the middle of a difficult quest that she would have to start all over again now, and had to stop her closest friends from flat-out murdering a man she shared a bond with and had come to care for despite all the wars around them. Slowly, she turned, her hand itching to just draw her lightsaber and dare them to make a fucking comment. 

“How long has this been going on?” Poe asked, gesturing towards Ren. “Since the _Supremacy_? He killed Snoke for you, so you jumped into his-” 

“Poe!” Rose shouted over him. 

“I told you,” Rey said softly. “I told you about the Force Bond. I haven’t taken any missions where I would be liability. I keep myself away from the base. I _told_ you.” 

“You didn’t tell us you were in love with him,” Finn said quietly. 

“I’m not-” 

“Rey,” Poe said harshly. “We saw it. We _all_ saw it.” 

“Fine. He saved my life a few times. I’m bound to him by the Force. We talk a lot. About the Force and… Jedi things. So I’ve come to be… To be fond of him.” Her fists clenched and Rose reached down and squeezed her small hand around Rey’s. She peered at the other woman, surprised. 

“You can’t help who you love,” Rose said loudly. “We all know who he was. Maybe you can bring him back.” 

“I’ve tried,” Rey said softly. “But as long as we’re both still alive, I’m going to keep trying. And as far as I’m aware, the Resistance and the Republic don’t practice capital punishment. Am I wrong?” 

“Maybe we should make an exception,” Finn snapped. “Especially for him. Rey, I can’t believe you. He tried to kill you. And me. And he killed his own father!” 

“No,” Poe said, shaking his head at the other man. “No, she’s right. They’re both right. We don’t execute people. That’s what the First Order does. He’s Leia’s son. If she had any reason to think he could be saved… Even a small hope… We all know she would have kept trying.” 

The General’s eyes caught and held Rey’s as she stood there crying and trying to shake it off, to shake off all the judgmental stares and Finn’s expression of betrayal. 

“You have hope?” 

“Think about it,” Rose argued. “Why would he come here by himself? Obviously he’s not in contact with the First Order, or he’d have ordered them to come get him. He was just going to hide in there and… And die. Why would he even come to Endor anyway? There’s nothing here for them to want.” 

“Because this is where his parents got married,” Rey said softly. “You’re right, there’s nothing here. No reason for him to come here.” 

“Hah!” One of the soldiers spat. “That man has no conscience. He doesn’t care where his _parents_ were hitched. He killed one of them.”

“I have to go,” Rey said firmly, walking the direction of the shuttle. Rose let go of her hand with a reassuring pat. “If you want to arrest me for treason or whatever, go ahead and try. Until then, you know where to find me.”

 

 

He woke in the early hours of the morning, heavy-lidded but feeling slightly closer to life than death. There was a needle in his hand and a monitor on his bare chest, and his wrist had been submerged in a portable bacta unit that came up to his elbow. He thought at first he was in a medbay, then gradually he realized the light coming through the window was a sun. Two suns, actually. He sat up, feeling a weight in the bed beside him, and realized he was in someone's quarters. Rey’s quarters, obviously, since she was sleeping in the bed beside him, on top of the sheets under a separate blanket. 

The sparse room was made of poured concrete, with a wooden desk covered in Rey’s mechanical tools her blue cloak draped over the matching chair and her boots in the seat. The window was thin and high up in the wall, suggesting most of the room was underground, and the only other things he could see were a smallish chest at the end of the bed and a door slightly ajar leading to another room he couldn't see any light from. It was quiet, despite the half-open window, and warmer than he was comfortable with, which is what woke him in the first place.

He felt the bed shift and turned as Rey sat up to regard him with a very pleasant smile. She looked him over carefully, eyes travelling down from his face over his bare chest and abdomen, tilting as she peered at the bacta pack over his wrist. She narrowed her eyes.

“Can you move your fingers, Ben?”

He tried, but it was like they weren’t there. His wrist twitched, and there was an itchy sensation where his palm should be, but when he tried to move his thumb to scratch it, his hand just sort of flopped around unresponsively. From her grimace, he deduced that was not a good sign.

“Ah, well. It’s the Skywalker curse, I guess,” he sighed. “I’m Ben now?” He moved his eyes up from his hand and she blinked, then smiled faintly, letting him hold her gaze.

“You always have been,” she said quietly. “Don’t act like you don’t know.” 

“I distinctly remember someone telling me in a _very_ Rey-like voice that Kylo looked like shit,” he countered. She laughed. 

“Is that really the last thing you remember?” She reached out, tucking a piece of his hair back, and he realized it was significantly longer than he remembered, gathered into a soft elastic band at his neck, somewhat mused from sleep. Rey watched him feel it, then feel the neatly-trimmed but unexpected beard along his chin and jaw. He furrowed his brows, thinking. 

“I remember… Being in a medical facility, I think.” He had a vague memory of Rey sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair, watching as hesitant nurses bent over him. He glanced around the room again. “Where are we?” 

“Tatooine,” she answered cryptically. He blinked. 

“And how long have I been on Tatooine?” 

“About a week. You’ve been in and out. You don’t remember?” 

If he thought hard, prodding his memory with his rusty Jedi training, he could vaguely remember machines beeping and people talking. Rey’s voice was the clearest, she had been very angry at some point. Was she defending him?

 “I remember you,” he said finally. “Did you tell General Dameron to go-” 

“Yes.” She blushed. “He wanted you off his ship, so I had Rose find a place where I could…” Rey glanced down into her lap, then gathered herself and met his gaze. He nodded, understanding dawning on him. 

“A place where you could keep me.” 

She nodded, taking a deep breath. “You’re not… I don’t want you to think this is some kind of prison-” 

“Rey, it’s alright.” He reached out and touched her face with the gentlest caress, thumb barely brushing over her cheek, but Rey was less hesitant. 

She leaned in as soon as their eyes met, fitting her lips firmly against his, carding her hand aggressively through his hair. He was shocked for about a single second, then he was just as aggressive, cupping her face in his hand, tilting it up and pressing his tongue against her lips. She parted them readily, and he pushed inside, exploring the warm velvet of her mouth as she returned his caresses with her own. He lifted his other arm to try and lean forward, and groaned, feeling it sloshing uselessly, entrapped in the portable medical unit.

She pulled away, but only enough to rest her head against his shoulder, one arm wrapped firmly around his neck. There was a feeling of wetness against his skin, and he was surprised to see her shoulders shaking with sobs. Awkwardly, he stroked her hair with his good hand, making soft shushing noises to try and calm her. 

“What’s wrong? Rey?” He tried to get her to look at him, but she just clung to him harder, shaking her head.

“I didn’t know if you were going to wake up. I knew you were still there through the Force, but, I… The doctors said it was up to you, but not to get my hopes up,” she gasped in air, hugging him with both arms now, her fingers undoing the band in his hair to delve into it freely. “You came back to me. Ben.” 

“Fuck those doctors. I would never have left you,” he gripped the back of her head, pressing it against his strong shoulder. “They don’t know anything about me. My father was frozen. My grandfather lived on in a suit of cyborg armor after he lost all his limbs and was left for dead. You’re not getting rid of me that easily, no matter how much Poe Dameron wishes it were so.”

Rey’s laughter was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard in his life. He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard it before, nor had he ever really seen her smile, he thought, as she drew back and regarded him with solid warmth in her lovely hazel eyes. “Good. General Dameron can go fuck himself. I hope for his sake he’s better at that than he is at fucking other people,” she snorted. 

Ben felt his eyes narrowing in anger, and he cupped her face, peering intently into those warm eyes that were now unreservedly his to look at. “Does he…” He had a vague memory of certain words being hurled around, and he searched her face worriedly. “Rey. What did they say to you? What did they _do_?” 

Her eyes hardened. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve been called worse. Never by someone I thought was my friend, but… Whatever. He made himself look like a fool in front of half the Resistance officers, and it made our escape even easier, so…” 

“Escape?” He looked around nervously. “I thought you said you were keeping me here for the Resistance-” 

“No. I’m not.” She kissed him again, a brief but warm touch of her lips. “I’m keeping you here for myself. And you,” she gestured to his arm and the various medical devices. “You still need treatment, Ben. Although I’m afraid your hand is…” 

“How long has it been?” He prodded gently. Rey worried at her thumbnail with her teeth, hesitant to meet his eyes. "Rey," he pressed. 

“Since Endor, it’s been almost three weeks.” He sucked in a breath. He had been bracing himself, knowing it was most likely unsalvageable, but hoping maybe a few more days wouldn’t hurt. But three weeks? 

“Rey, bacta can do a lot of things, but it can’t regrow nerve tissues, or reattach dead cells,” he said firmly. She nodded, but a stray tear slipped down her cheek and she rubbed at it furiously. “It’s alright. My grandfather and Luke learned to manage. You’ll help me, won’t you?” 

She nodded, but her eyes were worried. “I have your lightsaber. Poe tried to keep it, but Rose snuck it back to me before we left. He and Finn don’t know where we are, but there are other officers besides Rose I trust. I’ll see if I can get someone to come look at it and… I’ve been working in the hangar here, setting aside credits…” 

He blinked. “You set aside credits to buy me a hand?” She laughed, nodding, and he caught her face again, holding it still so he could kiss her again. “I don’t deserve this. Any of this. You should have let them shoot me.” 

“Oh, go back to sleep, you idiot. I’m tired of people telling me I’m wrong for wanting you, I don’t need _you_ to tell me that, too.” She paused, her eyes suddenly wide. “That is… Unless you don’t want me… I won’t force you to stay, but, at least let me help with the hand-” 

“No, Rey-”

“I don’t have anything else to spend money on, really, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re alive and I… I don’t want you to stay just because I-” 

“ _Rey_.”

He glanced down to his lap, where his body had realized a few minutes ago, during their rather aggressive wake-up kisses, that he was naked in her bed. It seemed she hadn’t noticed, and she didn’t catch his subtle eye movements, so he took her hand and showed her, watching her face turn bright red. 

“I want you. Just so you know…” He looked down to see she hadn’t immediately removed her hand and was instead slowly exploring with gentle fingers, tracing the outline of him up and down through the thin sheet.

Ben swallowed thickly, vividly remembering the brief month she’d been held prisoner on the _Leviathan_ , where he would bring her breakfast in the morning and talk about Force techniques, then visit later at night where there was significantly less… talking.

“I want to apologize for…” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have, when you were a prisoner, it was an abuse of power and I can’t… I didn’t think you would ever forgive me.” 

She gave him a small, secretive smile, and he frowned, studying her, although it was difficult to concentrate while she was gently dragging the sheet back to continue her explorations with her bare hand. Ben found himself panting as she leaned over, watching his cock twitch beneath her feathery touches. 

“You should know… I could have broken out anytime the last few days I was there.” She wasn’t looking at him, her gaze intent on what she was doing, but her smile was downright mischievous. 

“Is that so... Anytime?” She nodded, and he reached down, grabbing her hand and forcing it fully around him, showing her exactly what speed and pressure he wanted. Rey complied after a brief glance up to see his eyes burning with lust, his mouth half open as he watching her fist pumping over him. “You waited,” he confirmed without opening his eyes. “What made you decide… to go?” 

“Hux came to see me. I think he thought we’d be allies.” She paused, concentrating on him, and he could feel a lick of heat from her desire over the bond. “I let slip that I knew you would never turn me over to him, and I realized if I didn’t get out, he would try to use me against you.” 

“I see. Force, Rey,” he groaned. “Please… I can feel you through the bond. Come here.” 

“You just woke up after being unconscious for nearly thirty days. I don’t think sex is an approved activity,” she insisted. 

“Then move over on the left so I can finger you.” He was done being delicate about it. Her hand was lovely and soft, but deep down, Ben could not help but feel guilty about a one-sided exchange of pleasure.

He felt the absence of her touch, and opened his eyes to see her sliding her undergarments down from beneath her nightshirt before she crawled over him, and he scooted over to make room for her. 

She knelt beside him, facing his cock, and when she leaned over to take him in her mouth, he reached around, pushing her thighs apart and exhaling at the slickness of her. Rey moaned around his cock as he pushed inside her almost too roughly, using his moistened thumb to rub firmly against the top of her slit. 

Her back arched and she shivered, applying her mouth more firmly, drawing in more of him, and slowly it became a challenge between them, distracting each other in a lovely exchange. He was able to fit three of his fingers inside her, and he longed to taste her, to make her whimper and plead and beg for him again, although the sounds she made muted around his cock were driving him crazy. She had never done this for him before, he wouldn't allow it while she was his prisoner, and he had to keep his eyes closed, the sight of her head over him was too much. 

He blocked it out as much as possible, concentrating on what he was doing with his fingers, until he finally felt quivering and tightening there, and her enthusiastic mouth slowed almost to a stop. 

“There you are, that's it,” he leaned back, sighing at the familiar feeling of her coming undone on his hand, the higher-pitched moan and the sudden jerk as her body fought to breathe. Lazily, he toyed with her, gently caressing until she renewed her efforts on him, and he rested his hand over her round bottom, squeezing to get her attention when he was close. “Rey, let me… Please…” 

She made a noise of assent, and he spilled into her mouth after a few more movements. She kept her lips sealed around him, sucking it all down, leaving him mostly clean but for the damoness of her mouth. He opened his eyes, catching her slightly scrunched nose as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. 

Their eyes met and she shook her head, but held his gaze. “I love you, Ben, but I’m not doing that again.” 

He blinked. “Never?” 

“Oh, I don’t mind the… sucking.” She laughed at his wounded eyes. “Just the… end.” 

“Oh,” he said, relieved. “I shouldn't have asked… I've never had anyone's mouth on me like that. It felt so good. I wasn't thinking.” Suddenly he realized she had said something else before that, and he cocked his head, making sure he had her full attention. “I love you, too.” 

“I know,” she smirked.

“I've loved you for a long time.” His eyes closed halfway, remembering the first time he’d seen her, fiercely pointing a blaster at Kylo Ren. Rey climbed back over him, settling herself carefully around his injured side, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“How long?”

He took a deep breath, wondering if she already knew, or guessed, at the answer. “Since the forest,” he admitted.

“On Takodana,” she agreed, and then he knew for certain she had been aware of their connection as long as he had.

Because when he said ‘the forest,’ he expected her to think of Starkiller and their battle in the snow. But when he thought of Rey, his stubborn, fierce scavenger, that was the first thing he remembered. Not the newly-awakened Jedi wielding his grandfather's lightsaber against him, but the frightened girl with the glint of steel in her eyes, who had woken from his Force-induced sleep still full of fury and spite. 

“Yes,” he admitted. “I knew as soon as I saw you. You would be my weakness. My downfall. I was foolish to think I could ever deny it.” 

“Snoke knew,” she guessed, and he nodded. 

“Yes. That's why I had to kill him. I knew he would seek to use you against me, even if I tried to hide you, to help you… I was trying to figure out how.” He smiled down at her, kissing her forehead. “And then you came and offered to help me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It took a week, after Rey made contact with her friends in the Resistance, and then the last person he ever expected came to pay them a visit. He was sitting in the sunken living room, which was arranged around a central firepit, because nights in the desert were as cold as the days were hot. She was busy starting the fire, something Ben Solo had never learned to do, and while Rey was happy to show him, he was fairly useless for mostly everything.

Outside of taking care of her in their bedroom, which he did enthusiastically any time she would permit, but not as much as he would have liked. She still wouldn't let him make love to her, she barely conceded to let him pleasure her with this mouth, and only after he convinced her he could do it on his back if she straddled his face. _That_ had been last night, and he was looking forward to doing it again if he could convince her he was well enough.

The firm knock interrupted his pleasant daydreaming, and Rey had looked up from her task only briefly. “Can you get that? It's probably for you anyway.”

He didn't know how it could possibly be for him, he had no one besides Rey who cared for him in the slightest… Or at least, he thought he didn't. At first he thought there was no one there, then a sharp jab at his kneecap brought his eyes down. 

Now he found himself caught by green eyes that peered up at him through weathered goggles, magnified against crinkled orange skin. 

“Maz Kanata?!” He gulped, incredulously, letting the fiery old woman push the door open all the way while he stood there with his mouth hanging open in shock. 

“Ben Solo! You did a lot of damage to my property, young man!” She poked at finger into his thigh, and he stepped back, unaccountably terrorized by the tiny pirate lord. 

“Somehow I imagine you're still in business,” he challenged. Maz chuckled, pushing him back to make room for a small medical droid and another, very excited little orange-and-white astromech. “Ah, the mythical BB unit,” he smirked, watching BB-8 hustle over to chirp and whistle at Rey. 

“BB-8!” He heard her exclaim happily. “Does Poe know you're here? What do you mean ‘no?’” 

Maz shut the door behind them while he was distractedly watching Rey, hungry for every smile or laugh or sound of joy. She was a beautiful woman, but sadness didn't suit her. Rey was meant to be happy, and her voice and smiles filled the room like brilliant starlight. Maz poked his leg again, and when he looked down, she gave a gruff ‘hmph.’ 

“You'd better be good to her, Solo. You two need each other.” He spared her a glance finally, surprised at the conviction behind the short pirate’s words. “What? You think I don’t see it? I’m hundreds of years old, boy. I know love when I see it.”

He shook his head. “Rey deserves better than me. I don’t want to be another broken thing she has to fix.” But still, his eyes never left her for long. He knew he had to leave, he couldn't ask her to bear the weight of all of his mistakes alongside him, even if he desperately wished otherwise. 

Maz Kanata kicked his ankle hard enough to hurt. He turned to frown down at her, surprised and bewildered. “Get that look off your face, Solo. She made her choice a long time ago. You don't need to repeat the mistakes of _every_ member of your family.” 

She prodded until he went back into the living room and Rey looked up, coming to give Maz a heartfelt hug. “Thank you for coming.” 

“Oh, you're welcome child, but don’t consider it a favor. This is just a friendly visit to check in on some old friends,” her smiling eyes took in Ben as well as Rey, before she turned her attention to the medical droid. “Now then. Why don’t you give us a hand, Ben?” 

“Maz!” Rey scolded half-heartedly. Ben shrugged and pulled his wrist out of the linen sling over his shoulder, holding it out along his thigh for the droid to examine.

 

It wasn't as bad as he expected. The droid had been able to perform an operation melding flexible durasteel rods to to his bones, attached to multiple thin wires that met at a nerve bank in his wrist. He still couldn't feel anything, but at least it was his own flesh and tissue instead of the plastic feel of synthskin. After a day of recovery on the medical ship Maz had arranged to handle his surgery, they were back in their little desert hideaway, and it felt good to have the weight of his lightsaber back in his hand, practicing basic forms. Rey flew through them with more grace and precision than he remembered, and after an hour of frustratingly slow progress, he stopped just to watch her. 

She stopped, aware of his gaze, and powered down her double-bladed weapon before she turned to him. It was late afternoon, with the first sun already below the horizon, but there was still enough heat in the air to make them both sweaty, and Rey wiped escaped strands of damp hair out of her face. 

“You'll get used to it, Ben. As you pointed out before, Darth Vader had no hands at all.” She smiled to ease any kind of barb behind her words, and he returned it faintly.

“I know. But I like watching you,” he explained. It was certainly more pleasant than facing the daunting training ahead of him. Despite Rey's help and the knowledge that both his grandfather and his uncle had overcome similar obstacles, he just felt tired. Rey met bis eyes for a long moment, before heading towards the doorway to the bathing chambers. 

“I’m going to clean up.” She turned to raise her eyebrows as she passed him. “Want to join me?” 

“Always.” 

She slipped into a soft robe after their shared shower, and he was well aware that she wasn't wearing anything under it as he followed her back to the bedroom. As soon as she had his full attention, she let it fall to her feet, turning to regard him with an almost shy smile. 

“Tonight?” He asked, nearly breathless with anticipation. She nodded and he froze suddenly, drinking in the sight of her, reveling in thoughts of all the things he wanted to do now that he knew she would let him. Without dropping eye contact, he moved in to her space, pushing her down and encouraging her back onto the bed so he could crawl up between her legs. He shoved her legs wide, purposely using more force than usual, signalling before they even started that he was done being gentle.

Rey moaned as he kneaded her thighs roughly with his thumbs, and he glanced up to find her eyes, dark and already glazed in anticipation.

“You told me once that you didn't expect me to be gentle,” he said, carefully gauging her reaction. Rey’s eyes latched on to his, a slight, darkly anticipatory smile touching her lips. 

“I did say that,” she agreed, giving nothing away. 

“We've been gentle, the last few weeks,” he pressed. Again, she nodded, her eyebrows raised expectantly. 

“Yes. You were injured.” 

“And now? Do you still want me to be gentle?” He watched her moisten her lips with her tongue, and then she took a deep breath and leaned up on her elbows to get closer to him. 

“I want you to do whatever you want,” she whispered. She smiled smugly as he examined her face. 

“Anything?” 

“Try me. I'll stop you if I need-” Her voice cut off in a startled cry as he buried his face between her legs, breathing her in before he licked slow and wide from her glistening entrance to the top of her folds. “Oh, _Ben!_ ” 

“Ben is for romance and _gentleness_ ,” he snapped. “You will call me Kylo tonight.” 

She gasped, and her voice trembled slightly as he forced her legs up over his shoulders and applied his tongue in rapid, firm strokes to her sensitive apex. “Y-yes. Kylo.”

He leaned forward, holding the first two fingers of his left hand up to her, and she obediently opened her mouth, letting him slide them roughly in and out until he felt they were wet enough to plunge inside her. Not that he really needed to. He smirked in his mind, feeling the delicious heat of her arousal through their connection as well as inside her. She groaned and writhed when he managed a third finger, and he stopped, sitting back to watch as almost half his hand disappeared easily inside her. 

She made a little urgent sound, and he looked up to meet her eyes, drawing his hand back and slowly sliding his fingers in again as he watched her breath catch, eyelids fluttering. 

“More,” she begged in a low whisper, and his eyes widened.

He watched with half parted lips, mesmerized as he filled her with the rest of his fingers, thrusting with his palm cupped. He stole a glance upwards, seeing her still panting and exhaling in sharp, urgent cries with her eyes closed, and he paid avid attention to her expression as he pushed further, squeezing his knuckles past her opening. 

Her eyes flew open and she cried wildly, looking down to see him with half of his hand wiggling inside her. 

“Oh, Maker. What the fuck, Kylo?” She laid back, still panting, and when he curled his fingers she cried out again, gripping the pillow behind her head with white knuckles. 

“Do you want me to stop?” 

She moaned when he hesitated, grabbing for his hair and tugging his head down while her other hand held his wrist firmly where it was. “No, I want you to finish what you were doing!” 

He smiled, continuing to work his fingers inside her while he diligently returned to lapping at her swollen front, until he felt her contract around him, thrashing and squeezing his head between her thighs. 

“That was fast.” He grinned up at her and she rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t even act… surprised. You know me well enough.” She met his gaze as her breathing slowed. “Kylo.” 

“Tell me you love me,” he demanded, positioning himself with her legs still folded back, exposing her fully. Rey let her head fall back, distracted by the pleasure of him slowly pushing into her.

“I love you,” she managed between moans. He withdrew completely and pushed back in, a little further this time. 

“Again!” He demanded. “Look at me and tell me.”

Rey’s eyes opened, beautiful and dark with emotion, and he caught a hint of unshed tears welling there. She swallowed, holding his gaze, and he could see it clearly without her having to voice it. “I love you, Kylo. I… I really do…”

“I know.” He held her thighs down as he snapped his hips forward, and she cried out, panting as tears leaked down the sides of her face. She closed her eyes, writhing, arching her back to meet his rapid thrusts. “Do you like this? Am I hurting you?” 

“Yes. Yes!” Her eyes glazed, and he felt her body clenching. “Oh, fuck! Faster, please, more!” 

“No,” he slowed a bit, watching the confused expression spread over her face. He gave her a half-smile, leaning down to kiss the tears from her face. “You don’t come until I say you can. I want to hear you.” 

“What?” She studied his face, puzzled. 

He avoided her gaze, turning away as he nuzzled her breasts, and nipped down the line of her collarbones and the soft skin of her neck. When she moaned softly under his mouth and teeth, he put his lips up to her ear.

“Louder, Rey. Scream for me, like you did when you were my prisoner. Tell me you love me, and you want me. Beg me to fuck you harder.” 

“Oh… Oh gods, Kylo…” She bit her lip, looking up shyly as he straightened and began thrusting at a leisurely pace, watching her body bounce under him. 

“Go on,” he encouraged. He pressed down on her thighs again, noticing how she panted and thrashed when she felt out of control. 

“I love you, Kylo… Please…” She closed her eyes, gathering strength, then raised her voice. “Please fuck me, Force, Kylo, please!”

He shook his head. She liked this, obviously, but he knew she could be louder. Abruptly, he withdrew, and she whined at the loss. He leaned down and kissed her thoroughly, plunging his tongue into her welcoming mouth, before sitting back on his knees. 

“Tell me.” 

“I love you. I want you to fuck me. _Very, very much._ And if you don’t keep doing it, right now, I may very well kill you,” she said with a fierce glower. He laughed, smiling mischievously, then jerked his head in a gesture familiar to both of them.

 “Turn around.” 

She sighed in relief as soon as he fit himself back inside her, wiggling her ass against his hips to take him as deep as possible. “Oh, Gods, Kylo-” 

“Louder!” 

He gripped her hip tightly in one hand, holding his newly-repaired hand over her back, forcing her shoulders down. She moaned as he thrust into her with a punishing pace, and waves of pleasure flowed to him over the bond. 

“You really like this, don’t you? I never…” He was panting too, now, the different position allowing him to fill her to the base easily with every thrust. “I never would have thought… you were such a filthy little thing. My sweet, radiant Jedi.” 

“Oh, fuck!” She  groaned, her voice already sounding wrecked. “Yes, I like it… when you fuck me. I love it… really… Please… I can't… I need to…” She whimpered, but her next cry was higher-pitched and urgent. And _loud._ “Fuck, Kylo... “

“Oh, you want to come?” He didn't need to ask, but this slow torturing of both her and himself was absolutely delicious, and part of him didn't ever want it to end. 

“Yes! Please… gods… I love you!” She moaned the last louder than he'd ever heard her say it, and it went straight to his cock. He growled out his reply, bowing over her, his massive frame completely eclipsing her. 

“Yes, Rey! Scream for me when you come!” He jerked into her, pushing onto her stomach as the strength of his movement became too much for her to hold up. He reached beneath her with his good hand, holding her up just enough to keep up the friction.

“Oh, Kylo - Oh, fuck -” Rey cried out mostly wordlessly, her voice rising to a hoarse scream as she shook and clenched around him, falling boneless beneath him as her body pulsed with the force of her climax. 

Face pressed into her soft skin, he finished a few hard thrusts behind her with a fierce groan, and it was all he could to drop down beside her rather than on top and crush her beneath his weight. 

“ _Fuck_!” He looked over at her, reaching out with his left hand to stroke her loose, sweat-damp hair and shoulder. “I love you,” he said again, because it didn't ever seem like enough. 

Rey gave him a tired smile from under the curtain of her hair, and carefully lifted his right arm, laying her head on his chest and arranging his hand over her hip. She kissed his bare skin softly, over and over. 

“I know. I love you, too.” 

“I know.” 

“Do you?” She pushed herself up on his shoulder to look into his eyes. He smiled, reaching up hesitantly to card the fingers of his right hand through her tangled hair, and Rey sighed, lying back down. “You do,” she said, faintly surprised. 

“You were screaming,” he teased.

“Oh, is that what it takes? I came to you, alone, in the middle of the enemy fleet, to help free you from Snoke. I trusted you enough to make love while I was your prisoner, and I put myself in danger to keep Hux from using me to hurt you. I told off my friends and half the Resistance to save you, and got Rose and Maz Kanata to help fix your hand.” 

She sat up, giving him a decidedly annoyed look, fingers toying with a strand of his hair as he listened to her list all the ways she had tried to show him her devotion. Because Rey, unlike Kylo Ren or Ben Solo, expressed herself with actions, he realized. Hearing her explain the litany of their relationship made him wonder how he could have ever doubted her. 

“But, no,” she finished, her eyes faintly amused. “No, screaming it in the throes of passion, _that’s_ what finally convinced you?”

“Did you believe me, the first time I told you?” 

She hesitated, her head tilted in thought, then she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and worried at it. Finally she shrugged, looking at him shyly. “You've never lied to me. Half truths, sometimes, or just not answering my questions, but… Never an outright lie.”

“Ah. I see.”

They were quiet a while, each caught up in their own thoughts, until Rey dragged herself out of bed and slipped over the wash basin in the corner of the room to clean up. 

“Rey. I have a hand and I have you,” he started, carefully. “But I still have some obligations.” 

She sat beside him, taking his right hand in her lap and gently massaging the palm. The medical staff said it would help, stimulating blood flow and maybe connecting some of the undamaged nerves, if there were any. The droids had told them it was possible he might get some feeling back in his hand, although the damage to his fingers was permanent. 

“What obligations?” She asked as she pressed her thumb more firmly into his palm. He started, jerking into a half-right position. Rey’s eyes widened as she caught his. “Did that-” 

“I can feel the pressure,” he said, watching her thumb move in a slow, circular pattern. “You were doing it lightly at first, then it got stronger and I could feel it.” 

She prodded firmly all around his palm, though it was mainly the lower half he had steady sensation in. She peered at him thoughtfully, then got up and disappeared into the next room. When she came back, she held out his lightsaber, and watched as he took it, testing the feel of it. For the first time, he sensed the full weight of it in his hand and he turned his wrist experimentally.

“Has it always been this heavy?” He looked up in surprise at her half-suppressed giggle, narrowing his eyes. 

“It's heavy, yes. At least, it is to me,” she smiled again, and he realized the context he was missing and gave her a smug grin, wrapping his good arm around her waist and pulling her back into the bed. 

“Oh? Held lots of lightsabers, have you?”

“Oh, yes. Loads. All kinds of them.” He banished his weapon to her desk with a wave of his hand, rolling her on top of him. She grinned, dragging her hand down his chest to feel his hardening cock. “Not quite as long, I don’t think,” she pretended to consider it, gripping him firmly in the same way she would hold a blade. “I think it might be wider, though.” 

“Really? Maybe you should get a closer look…”

Much later, almost the next morning, they laid on their sides, facing each other, Rey's hand folded over his. “So. About those obligations,” she began.

“Hux is still running the First Order, I presume?” Her scowl was the only answer he required. “And we're not the only Jedi in the galaxy. There are others out there.” 

“I’m not a Jedi,” she scoffed. “And neither are you. But there are others like us in the galaxy, and I’d like to meet them.” She held his eyes when he sighed, and held his face when that wasn't enough to keep his attention. “First, we have to kill Hux.” 

He blinked in surprise. “I don't want you to put yourself in danger-” 

“Too bad. It's not your decision.” He remembered the words Maz had spoken when tried to say Rey deserved better. _She made her choices a long time ago._ He took a deep breath, reaching out to stroke her face gently with his unfeeling fingers. When he cupped her cheek, he could just barely feel the weight of her head leaning into his hand.

“Alright. First we rid the galaxy of Armitage Hux. Then we find a place to… Start something new?” He asked tentatively. She smiled and kissed his palm. 

“I've already found a place. Did you know this old farmstead belongs to you?” Rey grinned at his utterly confused look. “Tatooine, Ben. This is where Luke Skywalker grew up.” 

“I know Luke grew up on Tatooine. At Owen Lars’s farm. My grandfather was born into slavery here, that's why Obi-wan came back. He knew Darth Vader would never come back here.” 

“That's where we are. Owen and Beru didn't have any other family. Luke was their only heir.” He sat up slowly, looking around at the squat, round room, the plain furnishings, the firepit he could see beyond the bedroom door. Of course, where else could there be on such a desolate planet that Rey felt safe enough for him to recover? “Ben? I meant to tell you, I just… Didn't want you to freak out and do something stupid.” 

Slowly, he laid back down and drew her into his arms again. There had been a time, even a few weeks ago, where knowing this place had any connection to Luke Skywalker would have made him furious. Furious enough to try and slog through miles of desert, or caverns filled with hungry dragons. Now he just felt… peaceful. It was as a good a place as any to begin a training academy. Far enough out of the way, self-sustaining, but not too far that they couldn't get regular supplies. And there would be plenty of space, on a moisture farm.

“This place is fine, Rey,” he said finally. She breathed a sigh of relief. “I know our options are limited.” 

“Good. I can't do this on my own,” she admitted. “Though I’d probably have tried.” 

“I don’t know if I can take out Hux on my own… Before my hand, maybe.” His smile was just visible to her in the slowly rising dawn. “I would have tried though.” 

“I know. I love you.” 

“I know.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Wookie Mama is on Tumblr @khawapashitheelder. I have other chapter fics if you liked this one, one's abo trash, but fun, and the other is a goddamn three-part epic that suddenly took over my life... I post when I update, usually Sundays and Wednesdays.


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